Breech-loading ordnance.



No. 648,757. I Patented May I, 1900.

s. F. muss &, s. A. s. HAMMAB.

BREECH LOADING ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1899! MENU 3 $heets-Sheet l.

W7 w wb Wax/(MAW No. 648,767. Patented May I, [9%. J, F. EWEEES & S. A. S. HAE'AMAH.

3 Sheets Sheet 2,

(Eda Model.)

B Pu Aw Nm My m m m D1 fi m m w Pu EM B 09 alamzw He. 848.767. Patented May I, IQQG.

J. F. MEIG'S &. S. A. S. HMviiWAR.

BREEGH LQADING ORDNANCE.

(Application filed Han 15, 1899.) (N0 friadel.) 3 Sheets-Slaaet 3.

UNITED STATES Fries.

JOHN roasv rn MEIGS AND SIGARD AXEL STEN HAMMAR, OFJISLOU-TH BETH} LEIIEM, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSlGNOR-S TO THE BETHLEHEM IRON COM-'- PANY. OF SAME PLACE.

BREECH-LOADING oRoNAN'oE.

SPECIFIGATION'fQrming part a Iliietters Patent No. 648,767, aata'my 1, 1906.

Application filed March 15, 1899.

invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Ordnance; and we to do hereby declare that the following is --a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, refer- "encebeing had to the accompanying drawings, in which-' Figure 1 is a perspective viewof our'breech- I plug as preferably constructed separated from the gun. Fig. 2 is an axial section of the same and of the gun breech before the plug is seated. Fig. 3 is a like view of said parts after the seating of said breech-plug. Figs. 4 and 5 are like axial sections of said gun-breech and plug, showing modifications in the lines of their engaging surfaces; Fig.

6, a view in side elevation of the breech-plug I withadouble thread; and Fig. 7, aview insection of the nature of a diagram to illustrate by comparison the difierence in the amount of movement required to free from the thread of the breech plugs having, respectively, a single anda double thread.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of our invention is to increase the strength of connection between the breech and plug of ordnance; and to such end said invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the application of our invention the open end of the breech A of a gun is provided with an internally-threat'led section a, which from its outer end inward decreases in diameter. The sides of such threaded section longitudinally are preferably formed upon a convexlycurved line; but instead thereof the lines of 4 5 said threaded section may be straight or oppositely-curved, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, respectively.

The breech-plug C is fitted to and adapted to fill the internally-threaded section a of the Serial No. 709,123. (No model.)

' breech A, for which purpose the periphery of such plug is formed upon longitudinal lines which correspond to those of said breech, and upon such periphery are provided threads 00,

that correspond to and are adapted. to engage I with and fill the threads of said breech, so that when said plug is screwed to place it will be firmly held in position and close such breech.

It will be seen that in consequence of the tapering form of the breech-plug Ca partial rotation, dependent upon the amount of taper and the pitch of the threads, will dlSBII'f gage it from and permit of its ready removal from the breech, thus rendering unnecessary the removal of sections of the threads, as is usually done, and as the engaging threads are continuous a materially-stronger connection is made between said parts than could be had by use of interrupted screws. We

use by preference a multiple thread, because such construction has certain important practical advantages over a single thread. With, for example,a double thread instead of one and of the same pitch as the one less longitudinal movement, and consequently less angular movement, of the plug is necessary to free the plug-thread from the thread of the breech. This is clearly shown by the diagrammatic illustration in Fig. 7, where similar portions of two breech mechanisms are shown, one of which has a single and the other double thread, whose pitch is the same, the angle of whose thread-faces is the same, and the taper or angle of the two plugs being the same. As a result of the use of double thread in the place of one the height or projectionqof the of a single thread. The amount of movement required to free the plug with the double thread is indicated by the dotted line mm, Fig. 7, which shows the distance traveled by a certain part0 of a thread,wl1ilo the amount of movement required to free the plug with the single thread is shown by the dotted line 2' .7, which shows the distance traveled by a certain part c of the thread. The pitch of] the thread be'ngthe same in both cases, it is apparent that only half as much angular movement is required in the case of the plug with double thread as in the case of the plug with single thread. Itis apparent in the case illustrated that the bearing-surface of tho thread,where the double thread is used,is the same as the bearing-surface where one thread is employed, for as two are used in the place of one with no change in the angle of the thread-faces the aggregate area of two equals that of one.

The plug, as is common, is secured at its rear end to a swinging plate or carrier D, being provided with a cylindrical part E, of reduced diameter, that is provided with radial pins orlugs e and e, that engage screw-thread d in the carrier opening. The pitch of the thread (I is the same or substantially the same as that of the thread on the conical plug, until a point in the, rearward travel of the plug is reached, when-the thread 0 thereof is disengaged from the gun, and then the pitch of the thread (1 increases. The purpose of this arrangement is to enable the longitudinal travel of the plug to beg-accelerated when the plug is out of engagement with the thread of the breech. The diameter of the pins or lugs e and e is such that there will be clearance or space between them and the thread d when the plug is in the breech, so that the pressure on the plug when the gun is fired will not fall upon said pins or lugs.

The means employed for rotating, locking,

unlocking, and swinging the breech-plug to and from position ha-ve no necessary connecwith this invention and therefore need not'be described. 40.:

Having thus described our invention, what "we claim is- 1. In breech-loading ordnance, the combination of a breech-plug threaded to engage the threaded breech, and a carrier having a threaded opening engaged by a part on the plug, the thread of said opening having a greater pitch than the thread of the plug and breech, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In breech-loading ordnance, the combination of a breech-plug having an inwardlydecrcasin g diameter,and provided with a continuous screw-thread to engage a similarlythreaded portion of the gun, and a hinged carrier having a threaded opening that is engaged by the rear end of the plug, the thread of said opening having an increasing pitch, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In breech-loading ordnance, a breechplug having an inwardly-decreasing diameter and provided with a continuous, multiple screw-thread, in combination with the breech of a gun having a correspondingly formed and threaded interior, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a breech-loading gun,the combination with the breech of a gun having an inwardlydecreasing diameter, and provided with a plurality of continuous screw-threads, a breechplug having a correspondingly formed and threaded exterior, a carrier for the plug, and means for causing the plug to move faster in one part of its longitudinal movement than in another, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 28th dayof February, 1899.

JOHN FORSYTH MEIGS. SIGIlRD AXEL STEN HAMMAR. \Vitnesses:

EDWARD J. MALLoY, HOWARD S. HESS. 

